GT Vegeta's body changed in an instant, red fur spreading across him as he successfully entered Super Saiyan 4 without the machine.
"Not bad," Beerus said.
GT Vegeta did not dare answer. Fear still sat in his eyes, but beneath it was a stubborn flicker of resentment.
"We're almost out of time," Shin said. "Let's go. I worked hard to gather Goku and the others for this tournament. We absolutely can't lose."
Beerus gave him a cold look. "What hard work? It took you three days to find four people."
"That's easy for Beerus-sama to say. You spent three days and only found one," Shin said, rolling his eyes before he began counting off his own work. "When I went to their timeline, Vegeta and Uub were simple enough to find, but Goku had already gone to the Dragon Realm, and Broly was dead. I had to bring Goku back from the Dragon Realm and then use the Dragon Balls to revive Broly. See? I did plenty. Beerus-sama only brought Frieza."
Beerus's face darkened. "If you hadn't let Universe 7's Earth run off to Universe 6, would I be in this mess?"
"All right, both of you," Elder Kai said with a sigh. "Save it. We need to leave."
Uub leaned toward GT Goku and whispered, "Goku… the people in this timeline don't seem very friendly."
"We're only here for the tournament," GT Goku whispered back. "Once it's over, we'll go home. We came to challenge stronger opponents, didn't we?"
"You're right." Uub nodded, though his eyes still drifted toward Beerus with clear wariness. "Still, Goku… Beerus really is strong."
"I saw." GT Goku's expression grew more serious. "Which means our opponents should be strong too."
Beerus looked over the group one last time. "I'll say this again. Fight properly. If your performance is good enough, I can ask the Grand Priest whether there's a way to preserve your timeline."
"Huh? Our timeline can be saved?" GT Goku's face lit up. "And who's this Grand Priest?"
"Worry about that after you win."
GT Goku, Uub, GT Broly, and GT Vegeta all nodded.
Whis gave Shin the location of the tournament site. Shin raised a hand at once.
"Kai Kai!"
He took Beerus, Whis, Frieza, and the GT fighters with him, transporting them to the white planet in Universe 18.
By the time they arrived, Bulma and the others had already taken their seats in the stands. A long table had been set with sunflower seeds, fruit plates, and snacks, and the families were watching the Universe 7 team while eating as if the whole thing were half tournament, half picnic.
"Is that Dad and Vegeta?" Gohan asked in surprise. "And Frieza?"
"Who are the other two?" Bulma leaned forward, thinking. "One of them looks a little like Broly."
"Why is there another Goku and another Vegeta?" Emily asked.
"Maybe they came from another timeline, like Trunks," Krillin guessed.
Trunks stared at him.
Why was he being dragged into this?
Gohan nodded. "Krillin is probably right."
Near the arena, the fighters from both sides studied one another.
Goku and GT Goku looked each other up and down at the same time, both scratching their heads with the same curious expression.
"Why are you so small?" Goku asked, looking down at the other version of himself. "You kind of look like Goten."
GT Goku sighed. "That's a long story. Basically, the Dragon Balls made by the person who existed before Piccolo and Kami split were kept on The Lookout. The dragon from those Dragon Balls was red and had incredible power. He turned me into this."
"They were kept on Earth's Lookout?" Goku blinked. "Want to go check if we have them here too?"
"Right now?" GT Goku asked.
"Yeah."
Goku offered his hand, and GT Goku took it without hesitation. A moment later, both Gokus vanished.
Several people stared at the empty space for a long time, struggling to process what had just happened.
"Where did that bastard Kakarot run off to?" Vegeta gritted out.
GT Vegeta looked at this timeline's Vegeta and snorted. "I didn't expect you to keep your tail in this timeline."
"You have one too, don't you?" Vegeta replied, completely unfazed.
"Then what transformation do you use?" GT Vegeta asked.
"You'll find out during the tournament." Vegeta's smile turned smug. "It'll surprise you."
Beside Ken, Vados watched the Universe 7 team and sighed. "Oh my. Where did Beerus-sama find these contestants?"
"It looks like a very special timeline," Ken said thoughtfully.
Vados checked with her staff. A moment later, her brows lifted in surprise.
"What is it?" Ken asked.
"The timeline Beerus-sama pulled them from was once used by Zeno-sama to practice erasing universes," Vados said with a smile.
Ken paused. "What does that mean?"
As a transmigrator, Ken recognized those fighters at a glance. They were obviously from the GT timeline. The fact that Beerus had managed to find that timeline at all was impressive. But Vados's explanation was something else entirely.
"A very, very long time ago, Zeno-sama's erasure was not as powerful as it is now," Vados explained. "When he erased a universe, the timeline left behind could have a delayed collapse. In other words, the timeline those people came from will slowly disappear as time passes."
"That can happen?"
"It should vanish in about four or five hundred years," Vados said after checking more carefully.
Ken felt as if he had learned something new.
Then he noticed someone was missing. "Where's Merus?"
"Perhaps he was afraid of being discouraged and simply decided not to come," Vados said.
Ken did not bother contacting him. If Merus did not want to come, that was fine. The tournament would manage without him.
Meanwhile, on Universe 6's Earth, Goku and GT Goku appeared on The Lookout beside Dende.
"Goku… is that Goten?" Dende stared at GT Goku in surprise. "He looks different."
GT Goku waved. "Hi, Dende. I'm Goku."
"What? You're Goku?" Dende froze, then quickly caught on. "Oh, I see. You're Goku from another timeline."
"Yeah." GT Goku looked around. "Your Lookout doesn't feel all that different from ours."
"What year is your timeline in?" Mr. Popo asked from nearby.
"What year is it…?" GT Goku scratched his head, not entirely sure.
"Just tell me how old Gohan is," Dende said with a smile. "You have a son named Gohan too, right?"
"Yeah, Gohan and Goten." GT Goku thought it over. "How old is Gohan now? Somewhere in his thirties, I think."
"Then your timeline is more than ten years ahead of ours," Dende said.
"Probably. Your Bulma does look a lot younger."
Goku turned to Mr. Popo. "Mr. Popo, he said his Lookout had Black Star Dragon Balls. Do we have any here?"
"Black Star Dragon Balls?" Mr. Popo looked puzzled.
"They were made by Kami before he split from Piccolo," GT Goku explained. "They were kept on The Lookout the whole time."
"I've never heard of them," Mr. Popo said. "Where were they kept?"
"I think over there."
GT Goku flew toward a certain platform, and Goku, Dende, and Mr. Popo followed. They searched the platform, but there was nothing there.
"In our timeline, the Dragon Balls were right here," GT Goku said, pointing at the empty spot. "I remember there was a cloth covering them."
"We don't have them," Mr. Popo said. "I clean this place often. If they were here, I would have found them long ago."
"Then they probably don't exist in this timeline," GT Goku said. "Just like our timeline doesn't have Beerus or that person named Whis."
"You don't have a God of Destruction?" Goku asked, surprised.
"No."
"What about Ken? Do you have him?"
"Ken?" GT Goku shook his head. "Never heard of him."
"So you don't have Ken either."
"Let's head back," GT Goku said. "We still have a tournament to fight, right?"
"Yeah, let's go."
"By the way, where is that tournament being held? I've never been anywhere like it. Is it another planet?"
"It's in the World of Void. The planet we're using is from Universe 18, but it's recovering."
"Universe 18? That's amazing," GT Goku said. "Beerus said our timeline only has one universe."
"Really? I don't really get it."
Goku waved goodbye to Dende and Mr. Popo, then brought GT Goku back to the tournament site with Instant Transmission.
The moment they reappeared, Champa stomped over and punched Goku on the head.
A lump swelled up at once, and Goku clutched his head with a yelp.
"Champa-sama, why did you hit me?"
"You idiot. The tournament is about to start, and you still had the nerve to run off."
GT Goku studied Champa curiously, then looked over at Beerus in the distance.
"He and Beerus-sama are brothers," Goku explained.
"Idiot. No one asked you to explain my relationship with Beerus," Champa snapped.
As they spoke, GT Goku noticed a tall, imposing figure appear behind Champa. The man looked strangely similar to him.
Bardock's body ignited with divine fire as he entered Super Saiyan God Three, and he slapped Champa away with one strike.
"Hmph. You dare bully my son?"
Champa tumbled through the air several times before finally stopping, his face changing again and again.
When did this guy get so strong?
"Your son?" GT Goku stared at Bardock without blinking. "Are you my dad?"
Bardock looked him over in silence, then gave a small nod.
"I can't believe it," GT Goku said, still staring. "In this timeline, our dad is alive."
"Mom is alive too," Goku said. "She reincarnated, though. Her name is still Gine."
He pointed toward Gine in the stands.
"Mom reincarnated? As an Earthling?" GT Goku asked, even more curious.
"Yeah."
"I wonder if Dad and Mom are still alive in our timeline. I'll look for them when I go back."
GT Goku looked around again, recognizing face after face. When he reached Zarek, he paused, clearly unfamiliar with him.
"He's Dad and Mom's child after Mom reincarnated," Goku explained. "Our little brother, Zarek."
"We have another brother?" GT Goku laughed. "This timeline really is completely different."
Then he asked, "Where is this Ken you mentioned?"
Goku pointed him out.
"He looks a lot like that Whis person," GT Goku said thoughtfully, "but his skin color is closer to ours."
"Ken is a Saiyan too," Goku said. "He trained through his own effort and became a real Angel."
"A Saiyan can train into an Angel?" GT Goku asked in amazement. "Wait, don't Angels have wings?"
"That kind of angel isn't the same as the Angels here."
Elsewhere, Buu nudged Broly with his elbow and pointed toward GT Broly.
"Hey, Broly. See that? He looks a lot like you, but there are plenty of differences too."
Broly gave the other version of himself a long look, then nodded without saying much.
"But he doesn't seem that strong," Buu said with a grin. "He hasn't become a god."
"Without Ken," Broly said quietly, "neither of us would have become gods."
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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